Colorado Parks and Wildlife waited weeks to tell public it lost its source for wolves

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – New information reveals that Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officials waited nearly two months to inform the public that their source for Colorado wolves had rescinded the offer.

In early June, a tribe in Washington that previously agreed to relocate 15 wolves to Colorado rescinded their offer, citing concerns coming from Colorado tribes who objected the reintroduction of wolves in the state.

After CPW's leaders found out on June 11 that the tribe had changed its mind, they did not tell CPW commissioners until weeks later on July 30, 9NEWS Investigates reports. The news was not shared during two public meetings in June and July, despite the topic of wolf reintroduction being brought up several times.

The Colville tribe in Washington mailed an official letter to CPW confirming they were backing out of the deal on June 18 – over a month before CPW would make the information public.

CPW commissioners met publicly on June 18 and 19, where CPW Deputy Director Reid DeWalt provided the commission with a wolf update that made no mention of the tribes' decision.

"CPW did not notify the public when we received notice from the tribe," CPW spokesperson Rachael Gonzales told 9NEWS. "We want to clarify that the original agreement has only been rescinded at this time, and it does not close the door to future conversations or opportunities to work with the Tribe. Based on these facts, CPW decided not to release this information."

Nothing is currently known about where the state will source its next wolves from. The possible source states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming have previously refused to provide wolves to Colorado for reintroduction efforts.